1810 United States census facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1810 United States census |
|
|---|---|
Seal of the United States Marshals Service, which administered the census
|
|
A page of the 1810 United States census
|
|
| General information | |
| Country | United States |
| Date taken | August 6, 1810 |
| Total population | 7,239,881 |
| Percent change |  36.4% |
| Most populous state | Virginia 983,152 |
| Least populous state | Delaware 72,674 |
The 1810 United States census was the third time the United States counted its entire population. This important count happened on August 6, 1810. The census found that 7,239,881 people lived in the United States. This number included 1,191,362 people who were slaves.
A new state, Ohio, was included in the 1810 census. Sadly, some of the original census records have been lost over time. This includes records for the District of Columbia, Georgia, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Ohio. Most of Tennessee's original forms were also lost, except for two counties.
This census was special because New York became the state with the most people. This was true if you didn't count West Virginia as part of Virginia at that time. Otherwise, this would be the last census where Virginia was the most populated state.
Contents
What Questions Were Asked in the 1810 Census?
The 1810 census form asked for specific information about each household. These questions were the same as those asked in the 1800 census. The goal was to get a clear picture of the population.
Details Collected for Each Household
- City or township where the family lived
- Name of the main person in the family (the head of family)
- Number of free white males under 10 years old
- Number of free white males aged 10 to under 16
- Number of free white males aged 16 to under 26
- Number of free white males aged 26 to under 45
- Number of free white males aged 45 and older
- Number of free white females under 10 years old
- Number of free white females aged 10 to under 16
- Number of free white females aged 16 to under 26
- Number of free white females aged 26 to under 45
- Number of free white females aged 45 and older
- Number of all other free persons
- Number of slaves
How Accurate Was the 1810 Census?
Counting people in the early 1800s was not as easy as it is today. Before 1830, the people who collected the census information, called enumerators, did not have pre-printed forms. Some of them even made their own forms. This meant that some pages did not have clear headings.
Challenges in Early Census Taking
Also, some enumerators did not add up their results. Because of this, the census records for many towns before 1830 can be a bit unusual. This doesn't mean they are less reliable than later censuses. It just means that looking at these old records might take more effort for researchers today.
Top States by Population in 1810
The census showed how many people lived in each state and territory. Virginia was the most populated state at this time.
| Rank | State | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Virginia | 983,152 |
| 02 | New York | 959,049 |
| 03 | Pennsylvania | 810,091 |
| 04 | Massachusetts | 700,745 |
| 05 | North Carolina | 556,526 |
| 06 | South Carolina | 415,115 |
| 07 | Kentucky | 406,511 |
| 08 | Maryland | 380,546 |
| 09 | Connecticut | 262,042 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 261,727 |
| 11 | Georgia | 251,407 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 245,555 |
| 13 | Ohio | 230,760 |
| — | Maine | 228,705 |
| 14 | Vermont | 217,713 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 214,360 |
| – | West Virginia | 105,469 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 76,931 |
| — | Louisiana | 76,556 |
| 17 | Delaware | 72,674 |
| — | Mississippi | 31,306 |
| — | Indiana | 24,520 |
| — | Missouri | 19,783 |
| — | District of Columbia | 15,471 |
| — | Illinois | 12,282 |
| — | Alabama | 9,046 |
| — | Michigan | 4,762 |
| — | Arkansas | 1,062 |
Largest Cities in 1810
The census also recorded the population of major cities. New York was the largest city in the United States at this time.
See also
In Spanish: Censo de los Estados Unidos de 1810 para niños
